1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a retractable badgeholder, and more specifically to such a badgeholder incorporating a spinning display.
2. Background Art
A retractable badgeholder is a device having a case inside of which is a reel with a cord wrapped around it. The reel is configured such that the free end of the cord can be pulled, thereby rotating the reel, and when the end of the cord is released, the reel automatically rewinds the cord. The case typically has a clip on its backside for securing it to a shirt pocket, pants waistband, etc. of a wearer. The free end of the cord is attached to a bob which in turn is attached to a badge holding strap.
The purpose of the retractable badgeholder is to allow a wearer to attach a badge to the badge holding strap and to clip the badgeholder to his or her clothing. The badge is usually of the type that contains identifying information concerning the wearer, and which may be readable by a conventional electronic sensing device. In this latter case, the badge typically includes an electronic xe2x80x9cchipxe2x80x9d or a magnetic strip that has been encoded with certain identification information that is read by the sensor. Typically, the wearer would either present the badge to someone who would xe2x80x9cscanxe2x80x9d it using a handheld sensing device for example, or the wearer could be required to slide or xe2x80x9cswipexe2x80x9d the badge through a stationary sensing device. In this way, the badge can be used as an electronic ID for security purposes, or to allow an employee to time in or out, etc.
A design or logo is often imprinted on the front side of the case where it is visible to anyone looking at the badgeholder. These designs and logos are intended to make what could otherwise be an unattractive and detracting device into an interesting clothing accessory. Further, the logos often identify the company for which an employee wearing the badgeholder works, or a club or organization to which the wearer belongs. Thus, the logos provide further identifying information about the wearer, and in some circumstances free publicity for the company or organization.
The present invention is directed toward an improvement to the existing retractable badgeholders described above. This improvement involves creating a window in the front face of the case of the badgeholder, through which a design, such as a pattern, inscription, or logo can be seen. When the cord of this improved badgeholder is pulled out of the case it causes the design to rotate or spin. Likewise, when the cord is retracted back into the case of the badgeholder, the design spins. Thus, anyone observing the badgeholder will see the spinning design. It is believed this spinning design will be interesting to observers, thus lending special appeal to the improved badgeholder.
More specifically, the retractable badgeholder according to the present invention includes a case having an viewing port on its front side through which a rotating display plate disposed inside the case can be seen. This viewing port can be open to the outside, or if desired, the viewing port could be formed using a transparent window. The display plate has a design on its exterior facing side which is visible from the outside through the viewing port. The badgeholder also includes a cord, which in it normal mode is fully retracted within the case with the exception of a free end that extends outside the case through a hole in its periphery. This cord is attached at its free end to a badge securing unit that is capable of releasable attaching a badge to the badgeholder. The cord can be manually extended from the case by a user, so that a badge attached to the badgeholder can be presented for inspection or electronic sensing, as described previously. The cord is under tension from within the case such that when extended and released, or when the free end of the cord is guided back toward the case by the user, the tension on the cord causes it to retract back into the case. Whenever, the cord is extended from or retracted into the case of the badgeholder, the aforementioned display plate rotates within the case, thus proving the aforementioned interesting spinning design.
The design on the display plate can be incorporated in a number of ways. For example, the design could be formed into the exterior facing surface of the plate, such as by embossing. The design could also be formed over the surface of the exterior facing side of the display plate. This could be accomplished using paint or ink. Alternately, the display plate could be made using a label and a backing plate. In this latter case, the design would be on a front side of the label which acts as the exterior facing side of the display plate. This label is attached to the backing plate by its back side to complete the display plate.
The badge securing unit of the badgeholder preferably includes a bob that is connected to the free end of the cord. This bob is larger than the hole in the periphery of the case though which the cord extends so as to prevent the free end of the cord from retracting completely into the case. In addition, the badge securing unit includes a conventional badge clip that is connected to the bob. A badge can be releasable attached to the badge clip. Further, the badgeholder includes a releasable attachment clip that is connected to a backside of the case. This clip is capable of releasably attaching the case to the clothing of a user. In this way, a badge attached to the badge clip would hang down from the badgeholder when the cord is in its fully retracted mode so that it could be place in plain view of others in the vicinity of the person wearing the badgeholder. It is noted that the tension applied to the cord in it fully retracted mode is sufficient to hold the bob against the periphery of the case when a badge is attached to the badge clip. This ensures that the weight of the badge alone does not cause the cord to extend. It is also noted that the length of the cord is made such that the user can extend the cord a sufficient distance to present the badge for inspection or sensing without pulling the badgeholder off of their clothing.
The case of the badgeholder can have any desired shape. For example, the case when viewed from its front side can have a shape approximating a circle, ellipse, or some form of a polygon (e.g., a triangle, square, rectangle, hexagon, etc.). The viewing port can also take on any desired shape, and need not be the same as the case. Likewise, the display plate can have any desired shape, although a circular disc shape is preferred to facilitate its rotation within the case.
In addition to the just described benefits, other objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows hereinafter when taken in conjunction with the drawing figures which accompany it.